China’s Imports of Polymers, and, Exports of Fabricated Plastic Products Showed Relatively Small Declines in Q1 of 2020. Exports of PE and PP set new records in March.

Imports of commodity polymers totaled 6.8 million tons in the first quarter, down 5% from the same period, pre-Covid-19, in 2019. Exports of a basket of fabricated plastic products were down 3%, to 2.6 million tons.

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Korea Exported Record Volumes of PE in March 2020 and Imported High Volumes of Fabricated Plastic Products, Trade with China a Key Factor

Shipments to China accounted for most of the surge in Korea’s exports; China was the source of most of Korea’s imports of fabricated plastic products.

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US Ethylene Polymer Exports, R-PE Trade, and Imports of PE Sacks and Bags as of February 2020

US exports of ethylene polymers continued strong through February 2020, volume near record levels. Shipments of recyclable polymer continued falling. Imports of PE sacks and bags from China dropped.

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2019 – the Baseline Year Before Covid-19

2019 was a particularly important year as a baseline because it showed trends that were evolving globally before massive dislocations from Covid-19.

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Sharp Drop in Polyethylene Exports From Singapore and Korea to China in February 2020

Exports of ethylene polymers to China accounted for more than half of Singapore’s and Korea’s total exports in 2019 but shipments to China from both countries plummeted in January, and, especially, in February, the most current month available.

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United States Exports of PE Trended Higher in January 2020

After slowing in November, 2019, US exports of ethylene polymers climbed in both December and January 2020. Little impact on volumes and prices from the corona virus is expected in US export statistics for February, with March and following months affected more severely.

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